No Telephone to Heaven

Not a straightforward story in time sequence, so if you like Toni Morrison you'll like this. The plot is about a young Jamaican woman's identity crisis--race, sex, class, politics, country--but what intrigued me the most was the very graphic descriptions of the "dungle" where the homeless women and children live, on top of a garbage heap surrounded by fencing, vs. the descriptions of the life of the wealthy in Jamaica, and how little they know about each other. The gap between rich and poor is horrendous,and Cliff does a great job getting into the minds and motivations of the unschooled, illiterate, unknown although everywhere poor. Time period is the 1950's-1980's; during the Manley/Marley years, violent political uprisings and the threat of revolution play an important role. Lots of great symbolism for English professors teaching Caribbean literature too.

No Telephone to Heaven by Michelle Cliff A novel following Clare Savage as she navigates identity, colonialism, and belonging while returning to Jamaica after time abroad. Okay book that examines class and race in Jamaica and worldwide in a lyrical and fragmented way. It explores important themes but felt boring at times.

I was sad to learn that the author has died already for this is a beautiful work so rich in metaphors of our daily realities especially those who comes from post-colonial worlds and wants to make a change.

It was studied and discussed for a class in, and On Jamaica.

This is an interesting book to read, if you are taking a class on the "Literature of the Caribbean" course. An interesting book.